Gem Library

Zultanite

BUYER’S OVERVIEW:
Zultanite (Turkish Diaspore) is considered to be a semi-precious gemstone and while limited in nature, gems of good color and size are available, however, faceted stones above 5 carat are rare. Relatively new to the jewelry world, Zultanite is a gemstone whose amazing natural color changing abilities make it well suited to savvy jewelry connoisseurs. Zultanite is light toned with a color change of 100%, going from celery green to champagne to raspberry and ginger. Brilliant, mesmerizing and fashionable, the phenomenal Zultanite and Diaspore are rare stars in fine jewelry design, deserving pride of place in every serious jewelry collection.

POSSIBLE ENHANCEMENTS & TREATMENTS:
Zultanite and Diaspore have no known enhancements.

HARDNESS:
6½ to 7 on the Mohs scale.

BEST USE OF THE GEMSTONE:
Zultanite and Diaspore are not strong gemstones and as such, earrings, pendants, pins, and tie tacks are probably the safest choice for these stones. Rings should be limited to occasional wear and the stones should be set with a protective setting.

CARE & CLEANING:
It is best to never expose colored gemstones to cleaning solvents or chemicals of any kind.
Common cleaning methods include:
Ultrasonic: never
Steamer: never
Warm soapy water: safe
Reaction to Chemicals: no data at this time
Reaction to Heat: no data at this time
Stability to Light: generally stable after prolonged exposure to sunlight or UV light.

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THIS GEMSTONE:
The name Diaspore, comes from the Greek word “diaspora” meaning “to scatter”. This gem was first discovered in 1801 in the Russian Ural Mountains, however, most Diaspore is poor quality and not made into jewelry. The Diaspore from Turkey is superior to other materials and has been given its own name, Zultanite, by Murat Akgum in honor of the 36 sultans who ruled the Ottoman Empire in Anatolia. Some of Zultanite’s key characteristics are its delicate color, durability and scintillation (play of light). This gem can change color from a celery or kiwi green in daylight to a rich raspberry in candlelight, moreover, Zultanite’s color change is not limited to two colors. The same gem can exhibit sage green, cognac pink, pinkish champagne, yellow, peachy green, rich champagnes and gingers in different light sources. Zultanite is unique in that unlike other color change gems it does not need dark tones to show best color change. However, like other gems the larger the stone the more visible the color change. Like Tanzanite, Zultanite is a single source gem coming from a remote mountain area in Anatolia, Turkey.

DESIGNATION:
This gem has a long history but has no traditions currently associated with it.